rss
Br J Ophthalmol 2002;86:530-532 doi:10.1136/bjo.86.5.530
  • Scientific correspondence

Effect of prior steroid treatment on temporal artery biopsy findings in giant cell arteritis

  1. N Ray-Chaudhuri1,
  2. D Ah Kiné1,
  3. S O Tijani2,
  4. D V Parums3,
  5. N Cartlidge4,
  6. N P Strong1,
  7. M R Dayan1
  1. 1Department of Ophthalmology, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne
  2. 2Department of Pathology, Bradford Royal Infirmary, Duckworth Lane, Bradford
  3. 3Department of Pathology, Papworth Hospital, Cambridge
  4. 4Department of Neurology, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne
  1. Correspondence: Mrs Neeta Ray-Chaudhuri, Department of Ophthalmology, Claremont Wing, Royal Victoria Infirmary, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 4LP, UK
  • Accepted 10 December 2001

Abstract

Aim: To examine the effect of up to 6 weeks of corticosteroid treatment on the positive temporal artery biopsy rate in giant cell arteritis (GCA).

Methods: Prospective comparative clinical study of 11 patients meeting the American College of Rheumatology criteria for diagnosis of GCA. Patients underwent temporal artery biopsy within 1 week, at 2–3 weeks, or after 4 weeks of corticosteroid treatment.

Results: Overall, nine of 11 (82%) patients had positive temporal artery biopsies. Six of seven (86%) biopsies performed after 4 or more weeks of steroid treatment were positive.

Conclusion: Temporal artery biopsy is useful several weeks after institution of steroids.

Footnotes

    This Article

    1. Abstract
    2. Full text
    3. PDF

    Responses

    1. Submit a response
    2. No responses published

    Register for free content

    The full back archive is now available for all BMJ Journals. Institutional subscribers may access the entire archive as part of their subscription. Personal subscribers will also have access to all content when logged in. Non-subscribers who register have free access to all articles published before 2006 right back to volume 1 issue 1. Register here to access the free archive of all BMJ Journals.

    Don't forget to sign up for content alerts so you keep up to date with all the articles as they are published.